The Internet of things (IoT) is the network of physical devices that can include appliances, vehicles and other devices that have embedded electronics, software, and network connectivity to enable these physical devices to connect and exchange data. Each physical device of the IoT can be uniquely identifiable through its embedded computing system and is able to communicate with other devices using the existing infrastructure of the Internet. While not limited to IOT, the small form factor, ultra-low power consumption, and low cost requirements make power consumption and physical footprint of the associated circuitry critically important in IoT and many other applications since they directly impact the battery lifetime, cost and efficiency of such systems.
Many battery powered electronic devices include a battery that produces one voltage that is different from one or more voltages required by the electronics in the battery powered device. The voltage(s) required by the device are produced by one or more DC-DC converters. The power efficiency of these converters has a direct impact on the battery life. Therefore, there is a need for power management and regulation circuits that can efficiently provide multiple voltage values.